WGS sequencing, assembly, and annotation by Genoscope and collaborators. Podospora anserina S mat+

In a pilot study, Genoscope sequenced and analyzed almost 500 kb in the centromeric region of chromosome V of Podospora anserina strain S mat+. Following this study, Genoscope sequenced the complete Podospora anserina strain S mat+ (FGSC #10383) genome at 10X coverage using whole genome shotgun (WGS) sequencing. In collaboration with groups at Orsay University, University Bordeaux II, the Centre de Genetique Moleculaire (CGM) at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Wageningen University, Genoscope annotated the Podospora anserina genome. This annotation process included aligning more than 10,000 Podospora anserina cDNA clones produced by Genoscope to the Podospora anserina genomic sequence, as well as comparing the Podospora anserina genome with the genome of Neurospora crassa using the tool Exofish. Podospora anserina is pseudohomothallic. It means that this species is heterothallic and has hence two mating types mat+ and mat- contained in different nuclei. However, it produces dikaryotic ascospores with one mat+ and one mat- nuclei. In nature, the strains are thus dikaryotic and self-fertile. The lab strain S is no exception, it is heterokaryotic with mat+ and mat- nuclei. The sequenced genome came from the mat+ nucleus of the S strain.